Twenty-two Aspects of a Sustainable Society
Article Summary
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| John S Veitch |
| The Network Ambassador |
The Only Source of Real Change is "ME": We each have to discover who we are. Then we need to re-examine the world for ourselves and make our own assessment. Once we realise our own role in continuing that process, we can begin to make changes for ourselves. Habitat Overuse of the environment for production or for the disposal of toxic wastes, destroys biodiversity and reduces the ability of natural cycles to function. Food We need to stop financial subsidies to agriculture. Farming based on oil powered machines and chemically produced fertilizers, has a limited future. Water Climate change is melting the ice caps and the polar ice and altering the flow and distribution of the world's fresh water. We are suffering more regular floods and more severe floods. We can't stop them, so we have to adapt to that reality. Air Human activities have for many generations been adding unusual gases into the air through our agricultural and industrial activities. We now understand that when we burn something, that the gases do not simply go away. Methane is another greenhouse gas that might in the long run be as important as CO2. Stored methane in the ground is being released by natural gas exploration, coal mining and by thawing permafrost. Shelter Housing should be built to minimise running costs in terms of energy use and water conservation. We should also seek to use appropriate materials. Business Business as usual, in the 20th Century way, cannot continue. We also know that there are some green jobs, perhaps millions of green jobs. That's one place to begin. We know that as transport costs rise, some of our present activities will become uneconomic. Transport We anticipate a rapid rise in the cost of petrol and diesel fuel, forcing all but the most essential personal cars off the road. Commercial transport will also be down sized, some moving to railways, some to ships and barges. Security As the old business and political model collapses, in the transition, many people will be disadvantaged. We need to look first at our own security, but also to devise our own local neighbourhood support network. Energy If we are to avoid destroying the normal climate the earth is adapted to; we need to stop that behaviour, and find ways to re-store greenhouse gases back underground. Population I don't expect that humanity will find the political and social and technical resources to solve the population problem. Health Care Healthy living begins with a clean environment, quality food and a lifestyle that includes exercise and social activities with other people. Children We all want our children to live long and happy lives. Sadly because of the damage we've done to the environment, the prospect of that outcome looks increasingly bleak. Elderly and Disabled With the possibility of financial collapse being very real, it is likely that pensions promised in the future will not be payable, at least not at the promised rate. Materials We have to learn to sustain a satisfactory level of consumption yet use far fewer materials. Science Science should tell us about the nature of the world we live in. That knowledge doesn't come in political colours. Technology We have no idea which of the current technologies will be sustainable in the energy restrained future. It is likely that in a less specialised society Education Every person should be engaged in lifelong education, and action learning. Social Arts and Entertainment The arts provide a low impact way for people to find a productive activity, which produces pleasure and social interaction. Consciousness and Spirit We need to be responsible for the direction our community is taking. 21st Century Paradigm If we are to enter as successful transition from the 20th Century to the 21st Century so that we can build a sustainable society, most of us will need to do a complete "reset" of our attitudes and our world view. Communication There is no surety that the Internet will remain viable for everyday, almost free, public use. But computers and the power to run them, might not be cheap.
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